RESPONSIBLE PROPERTY INVESTMENT-SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES FOR GREEN BUILDING FUNDS IN EUROPE

Evolving changes in EU building legislation and certification are opening new opportunities for sustainable investments in real estate. Responsible property investors are offered new choices from a growing variety of green building funds. But due to the complexity of sustainability and the lack of transparency it is often difficult for investors to recognise the sustainable quality of green strategies as opposed to the passing look of green marketing. Therefore this study is aiming to identify sustainable strategies of green building funds and to compile a classification of green building funds in Europe in terms of the sustainability of their strategic investment potential. In this paper, the ongoing development in European building legislation and certification is analysed. Sustainable investment potentials are characterised based on changes in the relevant building standards. In order to turn these sustainable investment potentials into sustainable performance, sustainable strategies are derived for sustainable property investment products. And finally, a synopsis of the available investment products in Europe is providing strategic guidance to investors in Green Building Funds.